


Safe and Sound

by quietmessofafangirl



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 100 percent, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Trailer, Hurt Tony Stark, I Blame Tumblr, I'm so so sorry, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, drifting in space, feeeellllss, hypoxia, i'm honestly surprised i did this, oh gods i killed tony, this site is ruining me, tony remembering his loved ones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 04:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17297843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quietmessofafangirl/pseuds/quietmessofafangirl
Summary: Based on Taylor Swift's song, Safe and Sound.This is Tony Stark's last day alive; he's out there, drifting in space, and mourning his loved ones.





	Safe and Sound

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :)  
> This fic was inspired by Taylor Swift’s song Safe and Sound. I highly recommend listening to it for a couple of times before reading this—you need to have the epitome of IronDad and Tony Stark feels before you dive in.  
> And lemme just say, I killed myself with this, so now I’m a kudos/comments craving zombie; give me all you’ve got. I have tried to research hypoxia, but not thoroughly, in case you’re wondering.  
> If you haven’t read the tags, this has Avengers: Endgame trailer spoilers in it.  
> Just to clear it up, bold italic is for song verses, italic is for—well, emphasis.

Tony woke up a little disoriented; he didn’t remember falling asleep last night. He sat up straight, then sunk down again when he looked around. This is it. This is the last day of his life.

He pulled in a shaky breath. What will it be like, when his oxygen runs out? Will he just… drift off? Or will he feel the life going out of him?

Tony closed his eyes. He’s accepted the fact that he’ll die three days ago, what use will it be to think of how it’ll happen? When it happens, it happens, and he’ll know.

He looked over at the broken helmet in front of him. He used all the remaining nanites that weren’t closing his stab wound, but he couldn’t even construct a whole helmet. It had slashes and holes in it, but it was fully operating, and that’s what mattered.

He turned to look out the window, the sky had an orangey hue to it, which reminded him of Titan—and consequently, Peter.

**_I remember tears streaming down your face_ **

**_When I said I’ll never let you go_ **

Oh, gods _—Peter._

He’d failed him. Tony will never forgive himself for not being able to save that sweet, innocent boy. It was all his fault. He should’ve tried harder—he should’ve fought better—if only Ultron had worked like it was supposed to… maybe then Peter would still be at home, nerding around and having fun with May and Ned.

 _Peter_.

**_I remember you said ‘don’t leave me here alone’_ **

Tony sighed, and without really wanting to, he remembered Peter’s last moments, right before he disintegrated in Tony’s arms. He was scared, so scared, _begging_ to Tony to not let him go… but Tony had failed him. Totally and utterly failed the person he just _couldn’t afford to lose_.

And Peter had been brave… _so fucking brave._ Even after Tony lied to him, said he’ll be alright—little, innocent, scared Peter said he was _sorry_. As if he needed to apologize for anything. As if Tony had ever been mad at him. As if—

_If you died… I feel like that’s on me._

Tony’s eyes widened and filled with tears and he doubled over. _That’s_ what the apology was for. Peter, that goddamned smart teenager, remembered what Tony had told him a year ago and _fucking apologized for dying_.

Tony squeezed his eyes shut as tears streamed silently down his cheeks. Why the hell did he lie to Peter before he died? Why did he tell him he’ll be alright, when both of them saw how the others disintegrated, when Peter’s own right hand was almost gone? Why didn’t he say he _loved_ him? Why didn’t he tell him just how _proud_ he is?

Why did he let Peter die, thinking that he’s hurt Tony, thinking he’s _failed_ him, when it’s the other way around?

**_But all that’s dead and gone and passed tonight_ **

But it doesn’t matter anymore. Peter is _gone_ , and Tony can’t do anything about it. Maybe May would forgive him, one day, too.

**_Don’t you dare look out your window_ **

**_Darling, everything’s on fire_ **

**_The war outside our door keeps raging on_ **

After a while, when his tears ceased and he got stuck with hyperventilation (he’s been doing that a lot—is it a symptom of oxygen loss?), Tony opened his eyes. He wiped his face with shaking hands, that may or may not still have remains of Peter’s ashes on them. His eyes opened, but he needed a while to focus on the things around him, and he was sure that the oxygen was either too low, or already gone.

When his eyes managed to focus, they focused on the helmet. The message he’d recorded for Pepper was replaying itself in the back of his mind, and he wondered whether she’d ever get it or not. In the past days, ever since he boarded the Milano with Nebula, he refused to even _think_ about the possibility of Pepper having disintegrated; but now that he’s on the narrow verge of death himself, he wondered about her.

Is she still in New York? Is she alone, or with someone? What happened to Happy—and May? Did any more aliens attack NYC while he’s been in space? Did Wong manage to fend them off, if they did, or did Pepper—and the others—have to watch as aliens tore up their city _again_? Oh, gods, they didn’t even get to get married!

If only he protected Earth better. If only he’d known about Thanos before. He should’ve talked to Loki and Thor more, he should’ve asked about space. He should’ve done so many things that he didn’t do and look what it cost him.

_Everything._

His breaths became even harsher, and he had trouble moving. He tried to look at his reflection on the window and—was the window blue like that or is it his face? He tried to call Nebula to ask her, but he took so long to just open his mouth, and when he finally did, no voice came out. He choked on whatever breath he had left and slumped down to the cold, hard floor; curling next to his helmet.

**_Just close your eyes_ **

**_The sun is going down_ **

**_You’ll be alright_ **

**_No one can hurt you now_ **

**_Come morning light_ **

**_You and I’ll be safe and sound_ **

He closed his eyes. This is it. The end of his life. The end of Iron Man and Tony Stark. The end of the billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist, Avenger, fiancé, mentor, and, dare he say, father-figure.

He wasn’t sure why, but suddenly he felt warm. Like the sun was shining on him. Like on the beach, when he used to lay there for hours on end, just enjoying Pepper’s company, until the sun set on them and they had to go home.

Ah, home. That reminded him of his mother. Lately, whenever he thought of her, he saw that video of Bucky killing her at the back of his mind again. But now he didn’t think of that. Instead he remembered warm nights when they used to curl up on the sofa and drink hot chocolate when neither of them was able to sleep.

He let out a tiny puff that could resemble a sigh if you squinted. He’s dying now, there’s nothing around it.

Maybe he’ll see his Mom, and Peter. And maybe Pepper—or they’ll all wait for her when she comes. Hey, he might even meet Peter’s Uncle Ben; he’s always wished he’d known the man.

Suddenly, a sharp pain hit his chest. Tony wasn’t surprised, he knew it was going to come any moment now—there’s no way this universe would let Tony just die simply, without pain. Not after all the pain and sorrow he’d caused it and its inhabitants.

In his last moments, he thought of his family. Pepper, Mom, Peter, Rhodey, Happy, hell, even Steve. He hoped he will see them again. He hoped they would forgive him for all he’s done.

He thought he heard Nebula call his name, but he wasn’t sure. In no time, he was drifting away, away.

**Author's Note:**

> ... sorry?


End file.
